Weight Change and Physical Function in Older Women: Findings from the Nun Study

Tully, Christine L.; Snowdon, David A.

doi:10.1111/j.1532-5415.1995.tb06620.x

Cited by 57 publications

(49 citation statements)

References 16 publications

(25 reference statements)

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“…This association has also been seen in a number of epidemiologic and clinical studies that adjusted for comorbidity, 5,7,13 disability, 5,13 smoking, 5,7 alcohol use 5 or level of physical activity 13 and that excluded deaths within the first few years of weight loss to exclude undiagnosed illness. 7 In frail elderly populations, even small weight loss (e.g., 1 kg, 5 or 3% of body weight 18 ) may be significant. Voluntary weight loss among elderly patients is also associated with increased risk of death 17 and of hip fracture, 19 which highlights the importance of maintaining weight with age.…”

Section: When Is Weight Loss Clinically Important?mentioning

confidence: 99%

An approach to the management of unintentional weight loss in elderly people

Alibhai

Greenwood²,

Payette³

2005

Canadian Medical Association Journal

235

143

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UNINTENTIONAL WEIGHT LOSS, or the involuntary decline in total body weight over time, is common among elderly people who live at home. Weight loss in elderly people can have a deleterious effect on the ability to function and on quality of life and is associated with an increase in mortality over a 12-month period. A variety of physical, psychological and social conditions, along with age-related changes, can lead to weight loss, but there may be no identifiable cause in up to one-quarter of patients. We review the incidence and prevalence of weight loss in elderly patients, its impact on morbidity and mortality, the common causes of unintentional weight loss and a clinical approach to diagnosis. Screening tools to detect malnutrition are highlighted, and nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic strategies to minimize or reverse weight loss in older adults are discussed.

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Section: When Is Weight Loss Clinically Important?mentioning

confidence: 99%

An approach to the management of unintentional weight loss in elderly people

Alibhai

Greenwood²,

Payette³

2005

Canadian Medical Association Journal

235

143

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…9 Furthermore, Cossonelo et al 10 reported that multiple health problems were positively associated with poor cognitive performance.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Weight change and cognitive performance

2004

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METHODS:The predictive power of the annual change in BMI with cognitive performance was investigated by a binary logistic regression analysis (backward) using sex, age, BMI 1990, BMI 2000, diastolic blood pressure, diabetes status, and optimal health status as additional predictors. RESULTS: In the last step, the following variables remained in the model: annual change in BMI (quadratic term; Po0.01); ApoE genotype (Po0.05); and optimal health status (Po0.01). CONCLUSION: The association between the extent of weight change and poorer cognitive performance could be either a consequence of cognitive impairment or an early symptom of neurodegenerative decline.

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“…24,25 Weight loss between two time points has been associated with increased risk of disability among women but not men. 24,26 The objectives of this study therefore were (i) to investigate the effects of current obesity, steady weight change and weight¯uctuation on poor physical functioning and (ii) to determine whether these associations were independent of coronary heart disease. All the participants in the Whitehall II study were employed in the British Civil Service at recruitment and therefore represent a comparatively young, high functioning population.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Current obesity, steady weight change and weight fluctuation as predictors of physical functioning in middle aged office workers:the Whitehall II study

Stafford¹,

Hemingway²,

Marmot³

1997

Int J Obes

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OBJECTIVES: (i) To investigate the effects of current obesity, steady weight change and weight¯uctuation on physical functioning and (ii) to determine whether associations are independent of coronary heart disease. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study with body mass index (BMI) measurements at four time points between the ages of 25 and 63 y. SETTING: British civil servants based in London of®ces at baseline. PARTICIPANTS: 6895 men and 3413 women aged 35±55 y at baseline. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Physical functioning was assessed using the 10-item scale from the Short Form 36 Health Survey, with a score in the lowest quartile indicating poor physical functioning. RESULTS: After adjustment for age and confounders (employment grade, smoking, alcohol, exercise and menopausal status), current BMI was monotonically associated with poor physical functioning in women whereas a threshold effect at a BMI of 27 kgam 2 was seen in men. The odds ratio of poor physical functioning was 1.55 (95% con®dence interval (CI) 1.02±2.35) amongst women and 1.04 (95% CI 0.77±1.41) amongst men with BMI 23±24.9 kgam 2 compared to those with BMI`21 kgam 2 . Women in the upper, compared to the lower, tertile of steady weight change, had an odds ratio of poor physical functioning of 1.79 (1.24±2.60) after adjustment for age, confounders, current BMI and weight¯uctuation. Women in the upper, compared to the lower, tertile of weight¯uctuation had an odds ratio of poor physical functioning of 1.70 (1.23±2.34) adjusting for age, confounders, current BMI and steady weight change. Adjustment for the presence of coronary heart disease did not substantially alter any of these associations. Steady weight change and weight¯uctuation had no independent effects in men. CONCLUSION: Among women, current obesity, steady weight change and weight¯uctuation are independently and monotonically associated with poor physical functioning. Development of overt coronary heart disease is unlikely to be the mechanism for these associations.

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Weight Change and Physical Function in Older Women: Findings from the Nun Study

Abstract: Monitoring of weight may be an easy and inexpensive method of identifying older individuals at increased risk of disability.

Cited by 57 publications

References 16 publications

An approach to the management of unintentional weight loss in elderly people

An approach to the management of unintentional weight loss in elderly people

Weight change and cognitive performance

Current obesity, steady weight change and weight fluctuation as predictors of physical functioning in middle aged office workers:the Whitehall II study

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